Showing posts with label literary knits. Show all posts
Showing posts with label literary knits. Show all posts

Wednesday 10 December 2014

Green Gables Knits: A Review


This past November 30th was L.M. Montgomery's 140th birthday, and it reminded me that though I've previously done a L.M. Montgomery-related knitting post, I never did get around to reviewing Joanna Johnson's Green Gables Knits, which has been published since. So let's have a look at the patterns in it now.





This is Anne's Carpet Bag, which, as Montgomery fans will immediately realizes, is a tribute to the carpet bag in which Anne carried all her "worldly goods" as she travelled from the orphanage in Nova Scotia to Green Gables in Avonlea, Prince Edward Island. It's a nice-looking bag with a good shape, and I love those handles. The colourway is not that attractive, but then of course it's been chosen to resemble something Anne might have carried. As a Montgomery devotee and general nitpicker, I will just comment that Anne should not have had a suitcase in the cover photo, as seen above. She arrived at Green Gables with only the carpetbag.





Anne's Sweater. I don't recall a single reference in any of the Anne books of Anne ever wearing a sweater (with the possible exception of the Christmas she received an ugly magenta sweater from Aunt Mary Maria Blythe in Anne of Ingleside), so this sweater is not directly referencing the text. But it's a nice open front cardigan and does look somewhat like a modern take on something Anne might have worn at some point in her life, especially in the Edwardian period of her life.





As an aside, can I just say how impressed I am with this photo? The pansy on this old book very possibly references the Pansy books mentioned in Anne of Green Gables (the Avonlea students read a Pansy book out loud to each other during recesses), Pansy being the pseudonym of Isabella Alden, who was a popular and prolific author of didactic fiction. That pansy on the book could be a coincidence of course, but I'm guessing it was an intentional reference, and if so that is some high level metatextual photography, so kudos for that.





Diana's Hat. Diana is described as wearing a "jaunty fur cap" in Anne of Green Gables, but that's not to say she mightn't have worn something similar to this cute cap at some point.





Gilbert's Scarf. We're on surer sartorial ground with this scarf of Gilbert's, as it looks like something he might well have worn. It's a handsome article with good texture.





Marilla's Apron. A carefully finished design, if perhaps more frivolous than anything Marilla might have worn. The lace pattern used here is almost too pretty for an apron. I'd be inclined to turn this into a skirt.





Matthew's Vest. Classic menswear design.





Miss Stacy's Shawl. A modern take on the capelet that will look well over many a contemporary outfit.





Rachel's Table Runner. Because you know Mrs. Rachel Lynde's immaculate house would have had the requisite supply of fancywork table linen as well as all those "cotton warp quilts". I can't imagine ever using something like this, but it is pretty enough.

Saturday 29 November 2014

Looking Through the Wardrobe for Knitwear Design


Today is C.S. Lewis's 116th birthday, so I thought I'd do a post of Narnia-related projects. There weren't too many Narnia-themed knitting patterns out there. For that matter there aren't too many commercially made Narnia products out there, period. When a former co-worker of mine hosted a birthday party for her Narnia-obsessed nephew some years back, she ended up creating all the decorations and games herself. And she did an amazing job of it. She wheeled a garment rack full of coats in front of the entrance to her living room, so that the birthday boy and his guests had to walk "through the wardrobe" to get to the party. She made cute invitations, party favours, and decorations using images downloaded off the net. She had the children decorate their own crowns. She dressed up as Jadis the White Witch and played a game with them in which they had to dance to music and "turn to stone" every time the music stopped, and each time the Witch paused the CD, the last child to stop moving was eliminated from the game. When I remember seeing the pictures of all this and the obviously thrilled birthday boy, I think perhaps after all it's better that there isn't much mass produced Narnia paraphernalia. Some things are so much better for being homemade. That party was much more memorable and charming (not to mention less expensive) than any party with overpriced Aladdin stuff from the Disney Store could ever have been. I will say though that a book or magazine of Narnia-themed knitting patterns would be a nice-to-have. Maybe Interweave Press will do one sometime...?

But to get to the Narnia patterns I did find. Some knitters have replicated Lucy's 1940s-style sweater from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, as shown above, as well as other knitwear from the Narnia movies, but I was looking for patterns that more directly referenced the original text.





These are the Lantern Waste Mittens, designed by Kjerstin Gjengedal, and it's exactly the kind of Narnia-themed design I'd like to see more of. This pattern is available for €4.00(EUR).





If you like picture knits and Narnia, the Dégel à Narnia (or "Thawing Narnia") vest, designed by Isabelle Allard, may be right up your alley. This pattern is available for C$3.00(CAD).





I always picture Mr. Tumnus as being a more elegant, graceful creature than this Mr. Tumnus doll, designed by Neil James, but the doll is certainly adorable and cuddly and probably much more appealing to a child, which is much more to the point. This pattern is available for £1.99(GBP).





This is the Edmund Crown/Hat, designed by Nikol Lohr, and it will be a nice way to keep your little pretender to the Narnian throne warm and happy this winter. The pattern was published in Literary Knits: 30 Patterns Inspired by Favorite Books, which I've written about previously.





I found this photo of Narnia Chronicles stitch markers on Pinterest. They were listed on Etsy and have been sold, and I wasn't even able to figure out which Etsy vendor made them. However, I just had to include them because they're such a perfect fetish notions for the Narnia-loving knitter, and some of you may have the skills to make use of the idea.

Wednesday 22 October 2014

Knit in 80 Seconds



The children's storybook, Phoebe's Sweater, written by Joanna Johnson and illustrated by her husband Eric Johnson, tells the story of Phoebe Mouse and how she becomes a big sister. The book also includes knitting patterns: one for a child-size hooded sweater, one for a toy Phoebe Mouse, and one for a doll-size sweater that will fit the toy Phoebe Mouse as well as a 16-18 doll. The video above shows a Phoebe sweater being knitting in 80 seconds. Or more accurately, shows us 80 seconds out of of a day-long process of knitting the Phoebe sweater, but the 80 second stop motion video is quite well done and offers cute background effects, such as a last ball of yarn being delivered by a little vehicle made out of Lego. If you'd like to knit Phoebe's sweater for the little girl in your life, the pattern is available on Ravelry for $6(USD).

Monday 11 August 2014

Enchanted Knits 2014: A Review


Interweave Press has released a special issue called Enchanted Knits, which features 27 projects that reference well-known fairy tales and literary works of fantasy. Let's have a look at them, shall we?





The Among the Birches Shawl. This project was inspired by Norwegian folk tales of the Hidden Folk, who sometimes lure adults and children into the woods for nefarious ends. It's a nice piece and the texture is lovely. But I wouldn't recommend it that you wear it for any excursions into the woods as it will catch on everything.





The Bamboo Princess Baby Blanket and Hat. This design is based on a Japanese fairy tale that begins when an old Japanese bamboo cutter finds a tiny baby girl in a stalk of bamboo — note the green, the leaf-like lace patterns, the fibre used. Very meta, and it's a nice set in itself. That is one pretty blanket.





The Butterfly Fairy Tank. Very pretty and wearable summer top. I like that this designer found a way to incorporate butterflies into this design in a fashion that isn't too twee for a grown woman.





The back view and part of the front of the Chloris Sontag. Hoo boy. From the description on the Ravelry pattern page:

This wrap is inspired by the nymph better known by the Latin name Flora. Goddess of flowers, greenness, and growth, she was said to be the wife of Zephyrus, the West Wind. Mixing crochet with knitting, this lush piece takes a utilitarian bit of warmth from the past — the sontag, or bosom friend — and updates it with plush reversed textures, lacy motifs, and thick and thin yarn combinations for a signature accessory that will still ward off a bit of chill.

Wear this and you'll look and feel like a goddess of flowers, albeit one who has just had an epic battle with a weed whacker. As for practicality, you'll notice that the description refers to a "bit of warmth" and says it will "ward off a bit of chill". Only a bit, mind you. The front does look much more promising, but we can't see very much of it in any of the pictures provided.





The Colubrida Wrap. This piece references the snake that figures so often in mythology — and fortunately in a not too-literal way. It's a nice piece. It lies well and that "serpentine" lace border is something different and interesting.





The Eglantine Sleeves allude to the briars that surrounded Sleeping Beauty's castle for the duration of her century's sleep. And they're a beautiful piece of work, but I'm trying to figure out how one would style them. I can see they'd be useful to wear with a shawl or cloak, but if the weather is cold enough to require both, wouldn't you just put on a jacket instead?





The Giant Slayer's Vine Scarf is, of course, based on the tale of Jack and the Beanstalk. It's a beautiful piece. The mohair-silk yarn choice works especially well, as it gives it such an luxurious and ethereal look and feel. But then I may be biased, as I seem to have a fetish for mohair.





The Hansel and Gretel socks are meant to represent the candy house where they are imprisoned by a witch. I'm a not a big fan of mismatched socks, even when they are clearly paired by a reversal of design, because to a casual glance they look like the result of doing laundry while drunk, but these are cute and one could knit them both the same way if one wanted.





The Hervor's Undermittens are named for a Norse mythological character named Hervor. I like the design on the whole as it's a nice blend of lines and curves and I do like a elongated glove as it's both more aesthetic (it creates a clean line at the wrist) and more practical (no wrist exposed to the elements). Not a fan of the colour scheme used here, but that can be changed.





The Honest Woodsman Pullover is named after the Aesop's fable about a woodcutter who loses his axe in the river. Very much like this sweater. It's something a bit different with interesting visual lines and texture while being a design even a very conventionally dressed man (and isn't that most men?) would care to wear.





The name of the Hunger for Rampion Pullover refers to the root that Rpaunzel's mother asked her husband to steal for her from a neighbouring witch's garden, while the cables on the sweater are meant to evoke Rapunzel's hair. It's a lovely piece, though I would make the sleeves wrist-length rather than this length. Unless you plan to dangle your arms temptingly out the window for the benefit of any passing princes.





The Into the Magic Forest Blanket is another beautiful baby blanket, this time based on Labyrinth. Love the spirals and cabled devices along the border. Warning: this baby afghan might make you think about David Bowie every time you use it.





The Kitsunetsuki Cardigan refers to the kitsune, or fox spirits, of Japanese mythology, which sometimes have multiple tails. Not thrilled by this one. Those seams in the front looks rough and unfinished and the cables in the back look random. The whole thing looks like a design experiment that didn't work out rather than a finished design.





The Maleficant's Cloak design. Maleficent is the name assigned to the witch in Sleeping Beauty. This piece is pure costume, but maybe some people like to have a physical prop when they're pretending to be Angelina Jolie.





The Merlin Sweater. This Merlin plainly favours traditional cabled sweaters and saves his creative moments for his incantations. Nothing wrong with that.





The Riddles with Dragons Shawl does seem to hang well, and the lace pattern is attractive, but that edging looks rather unfinished. This design looks like it needs a little more work before it's done.





Rumplestiltskin's Wrap. Oooh, quite like this one. It's beautifully detailed and gracefully shaped.





Singeli's Silver Slippers. Love these too. I do like a slipper that has a bit of style and elegance to it, and between the shape and the embroidery on this design, these slippers have both.





The Snowdrop and Rose Red Cowl. In my pattern reviews, I often criticized the way cowls sit, comparing them to flat tires or cakes. This cowl could teach a class in masterful cowl sitting. It has a very romantic feel to it, and yet it's totally wearable for a contemporary woman. Nice work!





The String of Flowers Circlet. This is... pretty enough for what it is, that being an accessory for the younger and more boho among us. I'd consider making something like this as a headband for a little girl.





The Sylvania Cardigan. Lovely classic sweater with an especially beautiful back detail.





The Taking Flight Kerchief. Pretty little kerchief for wearing around the house as you do all those chores at the behest of your evil stepmother.





The Entwife's Coat, so named after "beautiful Entwives were partners to the Ents of Middle-earth" in J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy. I'm torn on this one, because there is much I like about it, such as the detail and the front shaping and that awesome rose button. But the jacket as a whole is so very bulky it's not flattering, and those extra flounces at the back aren't helping. I'd be inclined to rework this design entirely to make it more streamlined.





This is Thumbelina's Dress. It doesn't say on the Ravelry page for the pattern what use this dress will be. I would want to make it to fit a particular-sized doll, such as a Barbie. Such a pretty, fanciful piece needs to be used and enjoyed.





The Undine Shawlette, named for a water-spirit of German legend. This is a beautiful piece, although I do question how well it's going to stay around one's shoulders.





The White Queen Stole is inspired by Jadis (AKA the White Witch) of C.S. Lewis's Narnian series, and it's a gorgeous piece fit for a bride. Just don't offer any Turkish Delight candy to any small children when you're wearing it.





The Woodcutter's Socks. Nice socks. Appropriately enough for the name they bear, they are simple and workmanlike.